A common school of thought teaches that large dogs are simply unsuited for apartment living. While it’s true that many small breeds do well living in smaller spaces, people are often surprised to learn that this isn’t always the case. In reality, determining whether a dog can live happily in an apartment has much more to do with energy levels than size.
Despite being famous for their speed, Greyhounds don’t require as much exercise as you might imagine.
Unless an owner is dedicated...
In honor of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, we invite you to test your knowledge of the top ten AKC breeds with the following quiz.
Which breed has the longest consecutive reign as the number-one most popular dog in America?
Which breed has the longest consecutive reign as the number-one most popular dog in America?
Labrador Retriever
Poodle
Boston Terrier
Bulldog
Which three breeds are on the most popular dogs list for the first time, just having received AKC recognition in 2010?
Irish...
1. Poor breeding practices. Choosing a good dog from a breeder starts with a thorough investigation of the breeder’s practices. Find out how the breeder chooses which dogs to mate together. He should be selecting breed pairs based on genetics, meaning that the breeder looks for dogs who carry certain genetic traits and mates them with dogs who are most likely to replicate the desired traits or to eliminate problematic traits.
For example, if the breeder is trying to end up with puppies who...
Assistance dogs are those animals who give differently-abled people the chance to be more independent in daily living. The three main classes of assistance dogs are guide dogs for the visually impaired, hearing dogs for the hearing impaired, and service dogs for those with physical or mental / cognitive limitations.
Assistance dogs can help people with mobility limitations.
Most assistance dogs are donated to a regional office of a training organization like Guide Dogs of America, Dogs for...
The weather is getting warmer, and that can mean only one thing: it’s time to take your dog to the great outdoors for some sporting activities. If you have a purebred dog, the American Kennel Club offers many options for you and your dog to show off the natural talents for which they were bred. In our next issue, we’ll look at the sports for everybody’s favorite breed, the mutt-i-gree.
The highest level of Rally, known as Excellent, may have as many as 20 stations and handlers are...
Although it would be nice if your vet could immediately spot potential problems with your dog during his or her annual check-up, the fact of the matter is that 15 minutes a year is not enough for the vet to see changes that could indicate an illness. As your dog’s guardian, you have a responsibility to spend enough time with your dog to give the vet sufficient information to keep the animal healthy.
A Veterinary Checkup
Be Your Dog’s Advocate
In her book Speaking for Spot Dr. Nancy Kay, a...
Sleep 17 hours or so, eat a few tasty morsels, play outside a little, cuddle all night in a comfy bed. How could this be stressful? You might be surprised at the things that can cause your dog anxiety, but if you don’t educate yourself about it, you’re missing out on an important way to help your dog be even more comfortable.
Confinement can be a stressor for your dog.
Spend just a few minutes thinking about life from your dog’s point of view. Every morning, his best friend gets up, throws...
Families have different reasons for adding a dog to their households. Some are looking for playmates for their children, some for companionship in their old age, some for protection, and still others for hunting or for showing. And as you might expect, there are certain types of dogs that are better at each of these functions than others.
Each breed of dog originated for a specific function. Although many also make fine companion dogs, it is wise to do the research on any breeds you are considering...
There have been a number of stories in the news about Pit Bull attacks lately, which begs the question: are Pit Bulls truly the vicious dogs the media portrays them to be or are the specific dogs in the news simply dogs who have been poorly socialized and bred to be aggressive?
In the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you that I have never personally lived with a Pit Bull, and that the few Pits I have met have been very nice dogs.
Are Pit Bulls really that vicious?
Limitations of statistics
Statistics...
How do you know when to breed a dog? When is it “safe” to allow males around your female? What can you do to prevent unwanted litters? Read on for the answers to these and other questions regarding your dog’s heat cycles.
Puberty
Yes, it’s true. Dogs go through puberty just like people do, and prior to this milestone, your bitch cannot become pregnant. Although large dogs tend to have a later puberty than small dogs, anywhere between six and 24 months is considered...
